Modular wall construction



April 26, 1960 Filed March 4, 1957 K. F. WEBER ET AL MODULAR WALLCONSTRUCTION ,"wwimwnw 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Karl E Weber 8 allf' f5 2356 BY mar-0" WM ATTORNEYS April 26, 1960 K.-F. WEBER ETAL 2,934,181"

MODULAR WALL CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 y 'tr INVENTORS Karl E WeberFiled March 4, 1957 Ear/L670 5e I/fal- J- Or ATTORNEYS April 26, 1960 K.k. WEBER Em 2,934,181

MODULAR WALL CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 4, 1957 mmvrons 1Karl E Weber Ear/LC/ous'e 1701- J. No

nrromvsrs MODULAR WALL CQNSTRUCTION Karl F. Weber and Earl L. Clouse,Grand Rapids, and Cliliord J. Nor-by, Rockford, Mich, assignors to WeberShowcase & Fixture Company, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application March 4, 1957, Serial No. 643,738

3 Claims. (Cl. 18934) This invention relates to a modular wallconstruction having a number of basic modular parts.

Pro-fabricated wall systems constructed of a number of basic parts havebecome very popular particularly in retail store equipment. These typewall systems are utilized for facing rough walls and also forconstructing free or semi-free standing walls on which shelves andshowcases are mounted. Although these type wall systems are common, theyhave not been completely satisfactory.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel modular wallconstruction composed of a minimum number of basic parts which areeasily erected.

Another object of this invention is to provide a modular wallconstructed of a minimum number of basic parts that are flexible andadaptable to meet various sepcifications.

Another object of this invention is to provide a modular wallconstruction composed of a number of basic parts properly indexed foreasy erection.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a modular wallconstruction having a novel means of attaching the tie rods to theupright standard posts.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an attachmentmeans for attaching the top of the post to a continuous tie rail.

Another more specific object of this invention is to provide anattachment means for connecting the tie rails to the side of the posts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel means formounting panels on the skeleton support structure which comprises theupright standard post and tie rails.

The overall object of this invention is to decrease the number of basicparts required and the installation costs of the modular wall in orderto reduce the overall cost of the entire construction.

Other objects of this invention will become obvious upon reading thefollowing specifications in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein:

Fig. 1 is an oblique, elevational view of the assembled .wall of thisinvention. Enlarged, exploded parts of the wall construction are shown.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the novel attachmentmeans between the tie rail and the top end of one standard.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the connection betweenthe ceiling and the upright post.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, elevational, exploded view of the connectionbetween the top of the standard post and the tie rail.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross sectional, elevational view taken alongthe planes V-V of Figs. 1 and 6.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, .cross sectional view taken along the planeVIVl of Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, cross sectional, elevational States Patent viewtaken alongthe plane through the connection berear wall 14 (Fig. 4).

tween the tie rails and the sides of an upright standard post.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, oblique view of the tie rail and the clip forconnecting the tie rail to the side of the standard post.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along a plane through the meansfor securing the clip and the tie rail together.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, cross sectional, view of a standard and theclip means for securing the panel to the standard.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane XIXI of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional elevational view taken along the planeXIIXII of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is afragmentary, oblique, exploded view of the connectionbetween the support post and the door plate or strip.

Briefly this invention relates to a modular wall construction includinga plurality of upright standard posts arranged parallel to each otherand supported by tie rails extending across their tops or between theirsides. This invention includes the attachment means between the top endof the standards and the tie rails and also the attachment means betweenthe tie rails and sides of the standard post.

The attachment means at the top of each post includes the constructionof a pair of ears extending from the top of the post and protrudingthrough slots arranged at determined horizontal modular intervals in thetie rails. The ears are parallel and have aligned openings for receivinga pin which holds the tie rods in position.

The attachment means between the side of the standard post and end ofthe tie rods comprises a clip having hooks protruding into slots in thesides of the post. Means are provided for securing the clip to the tierail. This modular wall construction provides an easily adaptable andflexible system composed of a small number of basic parts that areeasily installed.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates an installed modular wallunit which includes the overall wall construction 1, the shelves 2 andthe cabinets 3. The wall construction 1 is especially adapted forsupporting the shelves 2 by means of the brackets 4 which have hooks 5received by the vertical slots 11 of the standard post 10. Fig. 1schematically illustrates by enlarged fragmentary parts the variousconnections between the connections or attachments are circled anddesignated as A, B, C and D.

All of the connections, A, B, C and D, are made possible by theparticular construction of the standard post 10 and tie rod 20.Therefore, these elements will first be described.

Standard post 10 is a hollow rectangular member having a two sides wall12, the front face wall 13' and the As shown, the rear wall 14 is aseparate element attached, by welding or otherwise, to the one-pieceU-shaped element forming the front and side walls. This particularconstruction is not necessary in the broadest aspect of this invention.The standard post 10 can be constructed of a single rectangular rolledpiece or tubing. The front face 13 of the standard post 10 has aplurality of elongated vertical slots 11 provided for the purpose ofmounting shelving brackets 4 and also if desired to mount the panels 30thereon. The top end of the center standard posts 10 that do not extendto the ceiling have a pair of notches 15 on each of the sides 12providing the parallel ears 16 between the notches. I Ears ard post andeach has an opening of hole 17. The holes 17 are aligned and located aplate thickness above the level of the bottom edge of the slots 15.

The tie rods 20 (Fig. 4) are all identical. Each of them is a U-shapedchannel having the side flanges 21 and the web 22 connecting theflanges. A plurality of pairs of slots 23, extending tranversely of theweb 22, are cut into the web at modular intervals along the entirelength of the tie rod. The length of each interval is dependent upon thedesired modular spacing of the posts. For example, we have found thatmodular spacings of 2 2' 6", 3 7", and 4 0" give unlimited adaptabilityto the system making it possible to cope with any situation or problemthat may arise. We have conceived that all of these modular lengths andothers can be provided for by spacing the pairs of slots every 6". Thiswould adapt the same tie rod for almost any situation or problem.

Immediately adjacent slots 23 and on the opposite sides of each pair arethe holes or openings 24 provided for the purpose of attaching clipshereinafter described.

The slots 23 receive the ears 16 and the tie rod 20 seats in the notches15. When thus installed, a locking pin, shown as a cotter pin 26, isinserted through the holes 17. This locks the tie rail 20 on the top endof the standard post 10.

Fig. 3 illustrates the ceiling connection B. This construction includesa U-shaped member 40 having the flanges 41 at the end of a U-shapedconnector part 42 extending downwardly from a ceiling plate 7. The sizeof U-shaped connector part 42 is identical to the cross sectional shapeand size of the channel extending through the standard post 10. Thus thetop end of post receives the connector part 42 securely supporting it.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the connection C between the tie rail andthe sides of the standard post 10. This connection or attachment meansincludes a U-shaped clip 50 having the side flanges 51 connectedtogether by web 52. The side flanges 51 each have a protruding book 53.The web 52 has a pair of openings 53 aligned with the openings 24 of thetie rails 20. The openings 53 are spaced from the edge 54 of the clipthe same distance as opening 24 is spaced from the slots 23. Thus thetie rod can be severed or cut off at one of the slots 23 and when clip50 is inserted, so that its edge 54 is flush with the severed edge 28 ofthe tie rods, holes 24 and 53 are aligned permitting screws 55 to beinserted for securing the clip in the end of the tie rod.

The upright standard posts 10 are provided with vertically elongatedslots 18 in the sides 12. located at modular heights and receive thehooked ends 53 of the clip 50 (Fig. 7).

The clips 50 serve a dual purpose. Besides providing the means forattaching the tie rod to the standard posts 10, they provide a means forsupporting the panel 30. This is accomplished by a second clip 60attached to the back side of the panel 39 by the screws 61. Clip 60 hasan offset portion 62 which when the clip is attached to the back of thepanel is spaced from the panel for receiving the side flange 51 of theclip (Fig. 11). If the oflset is not sufficiently great a shim 63 isprovided to produce the desired offset. This means of mounting the panelon a standard 10 eliminates the outwardly visible clips 70 shown in Fig.6.

The standards 10 are supported at the lower end by the connection Dillustrated in Fig. 13. This structure includes a large cut out 80 inboth sides of the standard. This cut out receives an inverted T-shapedfloor strip or plate 81. The base 82 of plate 81 has notches 83 atmodular intervals corresponding to the spacing of the standards. Thefront portion 84 and rear portion 85 of the standard post are receivedby the notches 83 so that the upright post straddles the wood floorplate or strip. The bottom portion of the post is machined to fit overthe notchingr83 in the floor strip and the floor plate 82 is machined atthe bottom to the exact dimension required.

These slots are Assembly operation In view of the above description, itshould become readily apparent that the erection of the modular wall isrelatively simple. The wood floor plate or strip 81 is first laid on thefloor and then leveled. It is then firmly secured to the floor by anysuitable means. The wood floor plate or strip having properly spacednotches 83 is selected depending upon the desired modular spacing of theupright standard posts 10.

After placing the standards on the floor plates with the standardstraddling the plate, the tie rods are extended across and between thestandard post. The positions of the tie bars, that is, whether theyextend across or between the standards, depends upon the particularshape of the wall. Fig. 1 is a shape selected to demonstrate all of theconnections A, B, C and D. When the tie bar extends across the top ofthe standard post (connection A) the cars 16 are inserted through theslots 23 and the locking pin 26 inserted. In this position the tie rods20 are seated in the notches 15 firmly supporting the top end of thesupport post. If the tie rod intercepts the support post (connection B)it is severed or cut ofi at the appropriate slot 23 so that the edge ofthe end of the tie rod abuts the standard post. The selection of theappropriate modular spacing of the pairs of slots 23 provides thedesired length.

After cutting the tie rod at the proper slot 23, the clips 50 areinserted in the ends and holes 53 and 24 are aligned for insertion ofthe nut 55. The nuts 55 then secure the clips 50' to the tie rod. Thehooked ends 53 are then inserted through the side openings or slots 18firmly securing the tie rods to the side of the standard.

In those cases where the standard post extend to the ceiling a ceilingconnector is attached to the ceiling or a ceiling plate and the standardpost inserted over it.

The above connection steps are all repeated at appropriate points untilthe entire wall support structure is erected. Then the panels areattached to the wall support structure either by clips 70 (Fig. 6) or byclips 60 and 58 previously described. The clips 60 can be utilized alongthe entire length of the tie rods located behind the panel. Otherwise,separate clips 50 are inserted in the opening 18 and the clips 60attached to them.

The shelving brackets 4 are then secured in the elongated slots 11 andany other type of trimming such as molding, cornices and other fixturesare attached.

It should be obvious from the above descriptions that this modular wallconstruction provides a construction which is unequalled in simplicity,flexibility, adaptability and economy.

Having described my invention it should be apparent that althoughcertain embodiments have been described, modifications and alterationsthereof are possible within the broadest aspect of this invention.Therefore, such modifications and alterations are considered to becovered by the appended claims unless the language of the claimsexpressly state otherwise.

I claim:

1. A modular wall construction comprising: a plurality of rectangularupright standard posts arranged parallel to each other; said standardposts having front, back and side walls; said side walls having twopairs of aligned notches on the top end forming two parallel earstherebetween; a U-shaped tie rail extending across the top of saidposts, said tie rail including parallel side flanges connected by a webportion, the overall width of said web portion being equal to thedistance between the most remote sides of said notches; said web portionhaving pairs of parallel transverse slots arranged along its length atpredetermined modular intervals; said. slots receiving said ears withsaid tie rail seated in said notches so that said parallel side flangesabut said most remote sides of said notches; aligned openings in saidears; and a pin extending through said aligned openings.

2. A modular wall construction comprising: a plurality of uprightstandard posts arranged parallel to each other and having walls with twopairs of aligned notches on the top end; said pairs of aligned notchesbeing arranged parallel to one another with one notch of each pairlocated adjacent a notch of the other pair, there being formed betweeneach of said two adjacent notches an ear; each ear between each of saidtwo adjacent notches being spaced from and substantially parallel to theear formed between the other of said two adjacent notches; a U-shapedtie rail extending across the top of said posts, said tie rail includingside flanges connected by a web portion, the overall width of said tierail measured between the outermost sides of said side flanges beingequal to the distance between the most remote sides of each of said twoadjacent notches; said web portion having pairs of parallel transverseslots arranged along its length at predetermined intervals; said slotsreceiving said ears with said tie rail seated in said notches so thatsaid side flanges abut said most remote sides of said notches; alignedopenings in said ears; and a pin extending through said alignedopenings.

3. A modular wall construction comprising: a plurality of upright hollowstandard posts arranged parallel to each other and each having sideslots at predetermined vertical intervals; tie rail means constructed ofmodular tie rails each having side flanges and a connecting portion withpairs of transverse slots in said connecting portions at predeterminedhorizontal modular intervals and openings in said connecting portion onthe opposite sides of and immediately adjacent said pairs of slots; saidtie rail means including one tie rail extending across and attached tothe top end of at least one of said posts and a second tie railterminating at the side of and attached intermediate the ends of atleast one other of said posts;

said second tie rail terminating at said side being severed at one ofsaid slots; first attachment means at said top end; second attachmentmeans at said side; anchor means for anchoring said posts to the floor;said first attachment means comprising pairs of aligned notches in thetop end of the walls of said posts; said pairs of aligned notches beingarranged parallel to one another with one notch of each pair locatedadjacent a notch of the other pair, there being formed between each ofsaid two adjacent notches an ear; each ear between each of said twoadjacent notches being spaced from and substantially parallel to the earformed between the other of said two adjacent notches; aligned openingsin said ears, said first tie rail having an overall width measuredbetween the outermost sides of its flanges equal to the distance betweenthe most remote sides of each of said two adjacent notches, said tierail slots receiving said ears with said tie rail seated in said notchesso that said side flanges abut said most remote sides of said notches,and a pin extending through said openings; said second attachment meanscomprising a clip having a support plate portion and protruding hooksseated in said side slots, said support plate portion having openingsaligned with openings in said tie rail means; and means extendingthrough said last mentioned openings securing said clip to said tie railmeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,231,289 Otte June 26, 1917 1,916,189 Bales July 4, 1933 1,965,599Koenig et al. July 10, 1934 1,982,104 Holdsworth Nov. 27, 1934 2,781,110Weller et al. Feb. 12, 1957

